“For the time being, we realize the hardships that we are experiencing as a town, and we will stick with 42 sworn,” he said. “We believe we can maintain. This budget is exactly that. It’s a budget to maintain what we have.

“There are no additional new programs that are going to be added this year.”

However, about $12,000 in seized assets from “the drug dealers of this community” will cover a new K-9 dog — to replace a retiring dog — and its training. “The taxpayers should not have to foot the cost of the new dog.”

Worrell’s force is also smaller than it once was.

“Certainly, tasks don’t get accomplished as efficiently or as safely,” he said. “In any line of work, with the fewer people you have, somebody’s got to pick up the slack. Things get done, but maybe not as effectively as they did before.”

Ald. Clinton Morris raised some concerns about the Police Department no longer having 45 officers.

“At one time, that was our goal to get back to,” Morris said. “Yes, we’d like to have more but whether or not we can have them and afford it, that remains to be seen.”